Inside Our Days by Michele Merens

 Started: 5/8/21

Finished: 5/13/21

Year: 2020

Pages: 242

Genre: Fiction

Grade: C

Reason for reading: review for Reader's View

Type: Trade Paperback

Blurb (from back cover): "A happily married woman abruptly flees home and family after receiving a dire health diagnosis. As Bree Durning rejects all offers of help and instead becomes preoccupied with her own blindsiding memories, even her psychologist-trained husband is tested to his limits as he struggles to ease his wife's pain."

Opinion: The ending left a lot to be desired-hence the average grade. Without the ending, it would have been a B. A complete review will be on Reader's View in the near future.

The Trouble with Kim: On Transcending Despair and Approaching Joy by Seth David Branitz

 Started: 5/2/21

Finished: 5/6/21

Year: 2020

Pages: 270

Genre: Memoir/biography

Grade: B

Reason for reading: review for Reader's Views

Type: Trade Paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "THE TROUBLE WITH KIM: On Transcending Despair and Approaching Joy is a poignant collection of true stories about growing up poor in a troubled family, and struggling to heal past childhood wounds toward wholeness and manhood. A gifted storyteller, Seth David Branitz manages to move and entertain as he explores even the most difficult of themes. It's impossible not to be touched as he deftly tackles mental illness, addiction and recovery, sexual awakening, the limits of familial obligation, death, grief, emotional maturity, creative self-fulfillment, and finding love, all with great compassion and compelling attention to detail."

Opinion: an interesting way of telling one's story. A more complete review will be on Reader's Views in the near future.

The British Billionaire's Innocent Bride by Susanne James

Started: 4/22/2021

Finished: 4/25/2021

Year: 2009

Pages: 184

Genre: Romance

Grade: C

Reason for reading: bookcrossing.com book, TBR shelf

Type: mass market paperback

Blurb (from back cover): "When devilishly handsome Theodore Montague meets Lily Patterson in Rome, he is quite taken by this pure English beauty. Theo's not looking for a wife, but he needs annoy for his three motherless children and Lily's the perfect candidate!

"Lily might feel completely out of her depth in Theo's glamourous world, but from the moment they're under the same roof the spark between them ignites into a passion neither of them can ignore..." 

Opinion: It's a Harlequin.....probably don't need to say more than that. Not the best, not the worst.

Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger by Soraya Chemaly

 Started: 4/17/21

Finished: 4/21/21

Year: 2018

Pages: 296

Genre: Nonfiction, Psychology

Grade: B+

Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway

Type: ARC

Blurb (from Amazon): "As women, we’ve been urged for so long to bottle up our anger, letting it corrode our bodies and minds in ways we don’t even realize. Yet there are so, so many legitimate reasons for us to feel angry, ranging from blatant, horrifying acts of misogyny to the subtle drip, drip drip of daily sexism that reinforces the absurdly damaging gender norms of our society.

In Rage Becomes Her, Soraya Chemaly argues that our anger is not only justified, it is also an active part of the solution. We are so often encouraged to resist our rage or punished for justifiably expressing it, yet how many remarkable achievements would never have gotten off the ground without the kernel of anger that fueled them? Approached with conscious intention, anger is a vital instrument, a radar for injustice and a catalyst for change. On the flip side, the societal and cultural belittlement of our anger is a cunning way of limiting and controlling our power—one we can no longer abide."

Opinion:  It is very evident that this was heavily and thoroughly researched. Anger is looked at from many different points and how it has effected women across all boards.  Definitely insightful and enjoyable.

Hot Six by Janet Evanovich

 Started: 4/10/21

Finished: 4/15/21

Year: 2001 (this edition)

Pages: 336

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: rereading series to catch up, booklender.com

Type: Mass Market

Blurb (from back cover): "Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is faced with her most daunting task yet: bring in the mysterious former Special Forces agent Carlos Manaso (aka Ranger). He's the man who taught her everything about fugitive apprehension, and Stephanie knows she will be testing her skills against the master. But if she does catch him, she's not so sure she could turn in her friend-even if he's wanted for murder...

"And if this isn't enough to keep her up at night, Grandma Mazur is crimping her sex life by moving in with her and keeping her from getting any action from her cop boyfriend, Joe Morelli. Now, with her love life messing with her head, two threatening goons on her tail, and three corpses-so far-it's getting a litter too hot for Stephanie, whose search for Ranger is bringing her dangerously close to the wrong side of the low..."

Opinion: Another fun read. The antics that Stephanie gets into is silly but makes it fun.

Die, Grandpa, Die by Dale Hudson

 Started: 4/2/21

Finished: 4/9/21

Year: 2006

Pages: 383

Genre: True Crime

Grade: B

Reason for reading: grabbed off TBR pile

Type: mass market paperback

Blurb (from back cover): "On November 28, 2001, in Chester County, South Carolina, police made a grisly discovery. Joe Pittman, 66 and his wife Joy, 62, had been brutally slain with a .410 shotgun and their house set afire with the bodies inside. Their black Nissan Pathfinder was missing. So was their 12-year-old grandson, Christopher Pittman. What had become of the boy? Was he still alive-and if so, for how long? The clock was ticking and time was running out.

"Christopher was found safe and sound in a neighboring county. But relief turned to suspicion as he told an improbable tale of a black man who'd killed his grandparents and kidnapped him. Eventually, Pittman confessed to the slayings and to fleeing in the SUV. In February 2005, he was tried as an adult. Defense lawyers claimed Pittman had been unhinged by the prescription drug Zoloft. It would be up to a jury to decide whether the boy who killed would have to face a man's punishment..."

Opinion: I have always enjoyed Hudson's books and this one is no different. The book goes into the crime and the trial thoroughly.  Did Zoloft affect Christopher so much to the point of murder? Hard to say as medication effects everyone differently. Overall a sad story about the cycle of abuse (alleged) and the possibility of medication effects that led to a horrendous murder.

Overnight Delivery by Raymond Parish

 Started: 3/27/21

Finished: 4/1/2021

Year: 2020

Pages: 339

Genre: Mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: review for Reader's View

Type: Trade paperback

Blurb (from back cover): "Small of stature but big of heart, psychotherapist Hank Anderson has a gift for helping clients face serious issues and heal life-altering traumas, but this talent intersects with darker truths, an insatiable curiousity that will soon threaten to violently shatter every aspect of Hank's life."

Opinion: A fun adventure when a psychotherapist meets the client with a threatening truth. A more complete review will be posted on Reader's View in the upcoming future.

My Adventure: An Encounter with Life by William Millard

 Started: 3/18/2021

Finished: 3/26/2021

Year: 2020

Pages: 282

Genre: Memoir

Grade: B-

Type: Trade paperback

Reason for reading: review for Reader Views

Blurb (from back cover): "Bill Millard is a commercial attorney with an international law firm in Dallas, Texas, and life could not be better.

"On top of his lucrative job, he is married with two wonderful children, lives in a nice neighborhood with great schools, and is a proud Texan. But his world comes crashing down as his health starts to decline.

"At first, it's not clear what is wrong, but then he is diagnosed with several near-fatal diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, which is a progressive nervous system disease that causes a loss of muscle control.

"He loses his family, career, home, and health. After a period in a comatose state, he wakes up as a quadriplegic, suffering severe seizures. He is unable to eat, drink, swallow, speak, stand, breathe without respiratory care, or carry on life as he knew it.

"In this inspiring memoir, Millard reveals how he coped with his diagnosis and made a miraculous recovery, spending seven-plus years fighting for his life in long-term health care facilities, physical rehabilitation facilities, and other centers. Millard's story also offers a unique first-hand patient's perspective as to what it is like to live in skilled and senior healthcare facilities today, containing many observations on what he thinks makes a better facility for patients and their families."

Opinion: I wanted more about his illness but he does address why he didn't dwell on what it was or could have been. I think that this could have been helpful for others and their families that are facing similar struggles. A more complete review will be on Reader Views in the near future.

The Memorandum by Robert W. Kelley

 Started: 3/10/2021

Finished: 3/17/2021

Year: 2019

Pages: 259

Genre: Legal non fiction

Grade: B+

Reason for reading: review for Reader Views

Type: Trade Paperback

Blurb (from back cover): "In The Memorandum, attorney Robert W. Kelley offers a gripping account of his years-long epic battle against one of the world's most power companies and his efforts to seek justice for a family forever devastated by its misconduct.

"Part legal thriller, part personal memoir, part trial strategy, attorney Kelley's narrative brings to life one of the most important legal cases of the decade. A giant corporation, a secret memo exposing is reprehensible conduct, legions of defense laws blocking the truth, all brought to justice by Kelley and his relentless band of warriors."

Opinion: This was a great combo of memoir and legal info. There is enough explanation of the legal stuff without making it overwhelming to readers who might not understand it. A more complete review will be posted on Reader Views in the near future.

Day of Judgment by Heath Daniels

 Started: 3/6/21

Finished: DNF 3/9/2021

Year: 2019

Pages: 641

Genre: Literature

Grade: F

Reason for reading: review for Reader Views

Type: paperback

Blurb (from back cover): "The Hammond family has worked and lived comfortably in the semi-rural, semi-isolated Appalachian area of southwest Virginia for years until a a violent attach against Arabs disrupts their American-dream life. Frank and Brad each live and work in a 'don't ask, don't tell' environment until violence by disaffected Arabs sends them seeking answers.

"Arab-Muslim professional, Joe and Omar, are committed to seeking justice! Joe, a brilliant young American-born attorney, seeks justice in the courtroom and starts the process of becoming one of the country's experts on hate crimes. At the same time, his good friend Omar, an equally brilliant Islamic theologian, seeks justice within the spiritual realms of Allah. Their actions reflect the double entendre in the title Day of Judgment: judgment in the US legal system and judgment before Allah"

Opinion: This book needs to be chopped in half and be heavily edited. Several grammar errors and just a lot of words that don't need to be there. A more complete review will be on Reader Views in the future.

The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King

 Started: 2/27/2021

Finished: 3/5/2021

Year: 1994

Pages: 346

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: bookcrossing.com book

Type: trade paperback

Blurb (from back cover): "In 1915, Sherlock Homes is retired and quietly engaged to study of honeybees when a young woman literally stumbles into him on the Sussex Downs. Fifteen years old, gawky, egotistical, and recently orphaned, the young Mary Russell displays an intellect to impress even Sherlock Holmes-and match him wit for wit. Under his reluctant tutelage, this very modern twentieth-century woman proves a deft protegee and a fitting partner for the Victorian detective. In their first case together, they must track down a kidnapped American senator's daughter and confront a truly cunning adversary-a bomber who has set trip wires for the sleuths and who will stop at nothing to end their partnership."

Opinion: Having heard so many good things about this book and not really looking up to see what it was all about, I was thoroughly surprised. I can understand the praise. Definitely a fun read.

Indianapolis by Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic

 Started: 2/16/2021

Finished: 2/27/2021

Year: 2018

Pages: 578

Genre: Military Non Fiction

Grade: A

Type: hardcover

Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway

Blurb (from book jacket): "Just after midnight on July 30, 1945, days after delivering the components of the atomic bomb from California to the Pacific Islands in the most highly classified naval mission of the war, USS Indianapolis is sailing alone in the center of the Philippine Sea when she is struck by two Japanese torpedoes. The ship is instantly transferred into a fiery cauldron and sinks within minutes. Some 300 men go down with the ship. Nearly 900 make it into the water alive. For the next five nights and four days, almost three hundred miles from the nearest land, the men battle injuries, sharks, dehydration, insanity and eventually each other. Only 316 will survive.

"For the better part of a century, the story of USS Indianapolis has been understood as sinking tale. The reality, however, is far more complicated-and compelling. Now, for the first time, thanks to a decade of original research and interviews with 107 survivors and eyewitnesses, Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic tell the complete story of the ship, her crew, and their final mission to save one of their own."

Opinion: Wow. I'm not usually a reader of military books and not even sure why I entered the giveaway other than because the USS Indianapolis is the boat that is discussed in Jaws during one of my favorite scenes. I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did. Very compelling stories from the survivors and about bs that the US Navy did to one of its own.

It by Stephen King

 Started: 9/16/2019

Finished: 2/16/2021

Year: 2016 (this edition)

Pages: 1153

Genre: Horror

Grade: B+

Reason for reading: reread after the new movies.

Type: Paperback

Blurb (from back cover): "To the children, the town was their whole world. To the adults, knowing better, Derry, Maine, was just their home town: familiar, well-ordered, a good place to live. It was the children who saw-and felt-what made Derry so horribly different. In the stormdrains, in the sewers, It lurked, taking on the shape of every nightmare, each person's deepest dread. Sometimes It reached up, seizing, tearing, killing...

"The adults, knowing better, knew nothing. Time passed and the children grew up, moved away. The horror of It was deep-buried, wrapped in forgetfulness. Until the grown-up children were called back, once more to confront It as It stirred and coiled in the sullen depths of their memories, reaching up again to make their past nightmares a terrible present reality."

Opinion: I enjoyed both the TV miniseries and the new movies. I read this several years ago and decided to reread it after I watched the new movies. Surprisingly, my brain pictured the miniseries instead of the new movies when rereading it. Definitely worth the reread.

The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg

 Started: 2/3/2021

Finished: DNF

Year: 2014

Pages: 347

Genre: Southern Literature

Grade: F

Type: Trade Paperback

Reason for reading: bookcrossing.com book

Blurb (from back cover): "Mrs. Sookie Poole of Point Clear, Alabama, has just married off the last of her daughter and is looking forward to relaxing with her husband, Earle. Then, quite by accident, Sookie stumbles on a secret about her mother, the formidable Lenore Simmons Krackenberry-a discovery that suddenly calls into question everything she ever thought she knew about herself. Sookie begins a search for answers that takes her to California, the Midwest, and back in time to the 1940s, when an irrepressible woman named Fritzi takes on the the job of running her family's filling station. As Sookie learns about the adventures of the girls at the All-Girls Filling Station, she finds new inspiration for her own life."

Opinion: Again I have tried a Flagg book and hated it. It is just something about her character Sookie that makes me want to throw the book across the room-or at least reach into the book and smack Sookie for being so over the top annoying. I gave it just over 100 pages and said nope, I have over 400 other books in my house to read....NEXT.

With You Always by Rena Olsen

 Started: 1/29/21

Finished: 2/3/21

Year: 2018

Pages: 339

Genre: Literature/suspense

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway

Type: ARC

Blurb (from back cover): "In the wake of a painful breakup and struggling to provider herself at work, Julia feels adrift. When Bryce blows into her life, he seems like the perfect anchor. Handsome, charming, secure, and confident, Bryce brings out the best in Julia, sweeping her off her feet with attention and affection while grounding her with his certainty and faith. Together they embark on a path guided by the principles of his family and their church, each step a paving stone leading to happily ever after.

"But this is no fairy tale.

"Step by step, one small concession leading to another, Julia is slowly isolated from her job, her friend, and her family, until she comes to find that her dream come true is a cage. Then one day everything changes...and Julia is faced with no choice but to find a way out."

Opinion: Great way of describing how one can get caught up in a cult/abusive situation but the ending was rushed. And the solution was too quick after all of the rest of the book. Throughout reading it, I kept shaking my head at the naivety of Julia.

Murder of a Sweet Old Lady by Denise Swanson

 Started 1/23/21

Finished: 1/28/21

Year: 2001

Pages: 251

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: booksfree.com book

Type: mass market paperback

Blurb: "When Skye's beloved grandmother is found dead in her bed, the family consensus is natural causes. Still, Skye insists on an autopsy-an examination that proves the sweet old lady was, in fact, murdered! But who could have done the deadly deed? Skye is determined to find out, through her snooping doesn't sit well with the relatives. Family tensions can mean only one thing: family secrets. And when a series of hooligan attacks on Skye's property leads to an outright physical assault, Skye has to wonder if by exposing the rotten roots of her family tree, she's one step closer to exposing the killer...."

Opinion: Another predictable but fun cozy mystery. Every family has its secrets and Skye's certainly has a lot and knowing them now in the 2nd book of the series, allows readers more of an inside look at what has made Skye Skye.

Murder of a Small-Town Honey by Denise Swanson

 Started: 1/18/21

Finished: 1/22/21

Year: 2000

Pages: 238

Genre: cozy mystery

Grade: B

Type: mass market paperback

Reason for reading: booksfree.com book

Blurb (from back cover): "Immediately, Skye's determination to keep a low profile as the new school psychologist is assaulted by an army of small-town busybodies and well-meaning family members who can't wait to pry into her life, dole out advice, and volunteer her services in the Chokeberry Days Festival. And when the fair erupts in chaos and controversy-the Cow Chip Bingo sabotaged and the jelly contest ruined-Skye closes the event down altogether by find a dead body...

"The deceased, who at first appears to be the elderly host of a beloved children's TV program, and a dear, sweet thing, turns out to be quite different-a sexy young woman with a wild past and more secrets than in Aunt Minnie's Jell-O Surprise. And as if this stunning revelation weren't enough to intrigue Skye's inner snoop, soon her own brother is accused of the crime..."

Opinion: I have read others in the series (out of order). This is the first one. A fun read even though I figured out whodunit halfway through the book. I will be continuing with the rest as they are fun to read.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

 Started: 1/7/21

Finished: 1/16/21

Year: 2009

Pages: 444

Genre: Literature

Grade: B+

Reason for reading: bookcrossing.com book

Type: Mass market paperback

Blurb (from back cover): "Enter a vanished world: Jackson, Mississippi, 1962. Where black maids raise white children, but aren't trusted not to steal the silver...

"There's Aibileen, raising her seventeenth white child and nursing the hurt caused by her own's son's tragic death; Minny, whose cooking is nearly as sassy as her tongue; and white Miss Skeeter, home from college, who wants to know why her beloved maid has disappeared.

"Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny. No one would believe they'd be friends; fewer still would tolerate it. But as each woman finds the courage to cross boundaries, they come to depend and rely upon one another. Each is in the search of a truth. And together they have an extraordinary story to tell..."

Opinion: I loved the movie when this came out so when I got my hand on a copy of this through a book exchange, I grabbed it. An entertaining look at how life probably was back in the day.

The Exes' Revenge by Jo Jakeman

 Started: 12/31/20

Finished: 1/6/21

Year: 2018

Pages: 340

Genre: thriller

Grade: B+

Type: ARC

Reason for reading: Goodsread.com giveaway

Blurb (from back cover): "Imogen's marriage to Phillip Rochester was never easy-he betrayed her, ignored her, and cheated on her. Now that they're getting a divorce, he's determined to make it as difficult as possible.

"When Phillip demands that Imogen and their son move out of the house by the end of the month or he'll sue for sole custody, Imogen succumbs to a moment of madness-and does the unthinkable. Now she's in control. But how far will she go to protect her son and punish her husband?

"What happens next will unite Imogen with Phillip's first wife and his new girlfriend against the man who has hurt them all-and who deserves a very special kind of payback...."

Opinion: A great way to start the new year. Great thriller.....and karma.

Ice Hunt by James Rollins

 Started: 9/13/2020

Finished: 12/30/2020

Year: 2003

Pages: 613

Genre: fiction/adventure

Grade: B

Reason for reading: booksfree.com book

Type: Mass market paperback

Blurb (from back cover): "Carved into a moving island of ice twice the size of the United States, Ice Station Grendel has been abandoned for more than seventy years. The twisted brainchild of the finest minds of the former Soviet Union, it was designed to be inaccessible and virtually invisible. But an American undersea research vessel has inadvertently pulled too close-and something has been sighted moving inside the allegedly deserted facility, something whose survival defies every natural law. And now, as scientists, soldiers, intelligence operatives and unsuspecting civilians are drawn into Grendel's lethal vortex, the most extreme measures possible will be undertaken to protect its dark mysteries-because the terrible truths locked behind submerge walls of ice and steel could end human life on Earth."

Opinion: This isn't my usual type of book (military) to read but wow what an adventure. Lots of action, lots of using one's imagination to picture everything that is happening.  Would recommend for readers who like a lot of action in their books.

Here Lies a Father by McKenzie Cassidy

 Started: 12/15/20

Finished: 12/18/20

Year: 2021

Pages: 262

Genre: Literature

Grade: C

Reason for reading: LibraryThing.com giveaway

Type: ARC trade paperback

Blurb (from back cover): "When Ian Daly and his sister Catherine arrive for their wayward father's funeral in his small and desolate upstate New York hometown, a secret that was kept from them their entire lives emerges: their father Thomas abandoned two other families, leaving behind two furious wives and several children who never knew their father. Ian wants to know more of the truth, but his sister and mother want to preserve the carefully constructed myth they've created around who Thomas really was.

"In the cold, lonely winter landscape of small-town New York, fifteen-year-old Ian sets out alone to learn the truth about his father's past and the families he left behind. Here Lies a Father examines the long-term effects shameful secrets have on a family, and how difficult it is for a young man to reconstruct his own sense of right and wrong, when every value and moral principle he was ever taught was based on a lie.

Opinion: This was an average read for me. What I did like was how Ian's maturity and growth were shown in short amount of time-amazing what can happen when the truth is discovered. What I didn't like was how the past was intertwined with present day-felt lost in a couple of spots.

James Herriot's Dog Stories

 Started: 12/8/20

Finished: 12/15/20

Year: 1986 (this edition)

Pages: 503

Genre: Animal

Grade: B

Reason for reading: bookcrossing.com book

Type: paperback

Blurb: "In this very special, heartwarming collection of favorite stories about dogs great and small, James Herriot tells us about his own dogs and all the wonderful people and animals we have come to love so much.

"Fifty memorable tales move us to both laughter and tears, and Herriot's personal introduction and notes make this tribute by a master storyteller to man's best friend a book to be read, reread and treasured for many years to come."

Opinion: An enjoyable collection of stories from one of the world's most favorite vets. All of them are about dogs mixed in with their owners and fellow animal characters.  I have always enjoyed Herriot's stories and this one goes right along with the rest of them

You Were Made For This by Michelle Sacks

 Started: 12/2/20

Finished: 12/7/20

Year: 2018

Pages: 336

Genre: Literature

Grade: D

Type: ARC

Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway

Blurb (from back cover): "Doting wife, devoted husband, cherished child. Merry, Sam, and Conor are the perfect family in the perfect place. Merry adores the domestic life: baking, gardening, caring for her infant son. Sam, formerly an academic, is pursing a new career as a filmmaker. Sometimes they can hardly believe how lucky they are. What perfect new lives, they've built.

"When Merry's childhood friend Frank visits their Swedish paradise, she immediately becomes part of the family. She bonds with Conor. And with Sam. She befriends the neighbors and even finds herself embracing the domesticity she's always seemed to scorn.

"All their lives, Frank and Merry have been more like sisters than best friends. And that's why Frank soon sees the things others might miss. Treacherous things, which rare almost impossible to believe when looking at this perfect family. But Frank, of all people, knows that the truth is rarely what you want the world to see."

Blurb: I don't think that I have read a book with more hated characters. All of them are just awful....to each other and themselves. Only reason why this got a D was because I liked the writing style.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

 Started: 12/1/20

Finished: 12/2/20

Year: 1993 (this edition)

Pages: 190

Genre: Sci Fi

Grade: C

Reason for reading: TBR pile

Type: Hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But when he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known."

Opinion: What did I jus read?

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

 Started: 11/26/20

Finished: 12/1/20

Year: 2009 (this edition)

Pages: 276

Genre: Literature, Romance

Grade: B

Reason for reading: bookcrossing.com book, TBR pile

Type: Trade Paperback

Blurb (from back cover): "'Dear John,' the letter read. And with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives changed forever.

"When Savannah Lynn Curtis comes into his life, John Tyree knows he is ready to turn over a new leaf. an angry rebel, he had enlisted in the army after high school, not knowing what else to do . Then, during a furlough, he meets Savannah, the girl of his dreams. The attraction is mutual and quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah vowing to wait for John while he finishes his tour of duty. But neither can foresee that 9/11 is about to change the world. Like so many proud men and women, John must choose between love and country. Now, when he finally returns to North Carolina, John will discover how love can transform us in ways we never could have imagined."

Opinion: I had seen this movie long enough ago that I didn't remember a good chunk of the book. Like most Sparks' books, it grips the reader's heart. Another touching story

Death at a Country Manson by Louise R. Innes

Started: 11/20/20

Finished: 11/26/20

Year: 2020

Pages: 219

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com

Type: Paperback

Blurb: (from back cover): "No one would ever accuse famous opera star Dame Serena Levante of lacking a flare for the dramatic. Unfortunately, it's curtains down on the dysfunctional diva when she's found dead at the bottom of a staircase in her elegant home. Solving an opera singer's murder may not be the typical hairdresser's aria of expertise. But Dame Serena was the mother of Daisy' best friend Floria, so Daisy must do-or-dye her best to get to the roots of the case. Even though the gruff but handsome Detective Inspector Paul McGuinness tells the stylist to stay of his hair, Daisy is determined to make sure the killer faces a stern makeover-behind bars."

Opinion: One of the better mysteries I've read-really didn't know who was the murdered until the very end. A more thorough review will be posted on MyShelf.com in the upcoming months.

Life with the Afterlife: 13 Truths I Learned About Ghosts by Amy Bruni

 Started: 11/14/20

Finished: 11/19/20

Year: 2020

Pages: 255

Genre: Autobiography

Grade: B+

Reason for reading: fan of Amy's and the paranormal

Type: Hardcover

Blurb (from book jacket): "Amy Bruni co-star of Kindred Spirits and one of the world's leading paranormal investigators, has spent years studying the otherworldly, and she has a life time of first-hand experience. Now, in Life with the Afterlife, she reveals the surprising insights she has gleaned and how these unwavering truths have shaped her unique approach to interacting with the spirits of the dead and those who encounter them.

"Though her fact-based research and wildly entertaining prose, Amy relays how she uncovers back stories that eerily explain and corroborate apparitions, and have recognizing that ghosts are people can help us move from fear to empathy for them. From stories of her earliest supernatural encounters as a child, through her years on Ghost Hunters and the creation of her company Strange Escapes, which offers paranormal excursions to some of America's most notoriously haunted destinations, and into her current work on the Travel Channel's Kindred Spirits this book is full of astonishing and deeply moving tales of Amy's efforts to better understand the dead but not yet departed.

"This book is sure to change how you think about ghosts, whether you are a die-hard skeptic or a long-time believer. With Amy's bright humor and fierce compassion for both those who are haunted and those who are haunting. Life with the Afterlife is an eye-opening look at what connects us as people, in life and beyond."

Opinion: I have been a fan of Amy's since her debut on Ghost Hunters. She brings a refreshing look to paranormal investigations. This book is like having a conversation with Amy about her take on ghosts and why she investigates the way that she does.

House of Evil by John Dean

 Started: 11/8/20

Finished: 11/13/20

Year: 2008

Pages: 231

Type: Mass Market Paperback

Genre: True Crime

Grade: C

Reason for reading: booksfree.com book

Blurb (from back cover): "In the heart of Indianapolis in the mid 1960's, through a twist of fate and fortune, a pretty young girl came to live with a thirty-seven-year old mother and her seven children. What began as a temporary childcare arrangement between Sylvia Likens's parents and Gertrude Baniszewski turned into a crime that would haunt cops, prosecutors, and a community for decades to come...

"When police found Sylvia's emaciated body, with a chilling message carved into her flesh, they knew that she had suffered tremendously before her death. Soon they would learn how many others-including some of Baniszewski's own children-participated in Sylvia's murder, and just how much torture had been inflicted in one..."

Opinion: A truly horrible traumatic experience and no real reason behind it. No true motive was ever demonstrated in this of why Sylvia was tortured and eventually murdered.  This needed more for me to give it a higher grade.

The Killer's Shadow by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker

 Started: 10/31/20

Finished: 11/7/20

Year: 2020

Pages: 292

Genre: True Crime

Grade: B

Type: Trade Paperback

Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com

Blurb (from back cover): "In the fall of 1980, John Douglas-the legendary FBI profile then in the early years of his career-was called in to the manhunt for a white supremacist serial killer. A highly mobile and experienced sniper, the fugitive Joseph Paul Franklin was suspected of racially motivated murders around the country. Not only was he capable of taking even more innocent lives, there was also a fear that he would target President Jimmy Carter during the 1980 presidential campaign. With the clock ticking, Douglas meticulously dissected the killer's psychology, but despite Franklin's ultimate apprehension, what began as fugitive profile would become one of Douglas's most disturbing and lingering cases.

"In The Killer's Shadow, Douglas, with his longtime collaborator Mark Olshaker, details the highly coordinated pursuit of Franklin and Douglas's eventual prison confrontation with him. Recounting the methodical detective work that led to Franklin's capture, Douglas reveals how the case helped prove the power of criminal profiling at a moment when the stakes couldn't have been higher. Years later, after Franklin's conviction and subsequent confessions while in federal prison to a horrific array of other murders, Douglas sat across from Franklin for the first time to complete the profile and understand what motivated his terrifying evolution from hate speech to racially and religiously inspired killing The end result is a Mindhunter case as chilling and relevant today as it was forty years ago, one that goes inside the vicious cycle of far-right extremism and shows that to emerge from it shadow of hate, we must first understand its origin."

Opinion: This is a true crime story told differently than most others. This looks more at how Franklin came to be who he was instead of focusing on the details of his crimes.  I would recommend for any true crime or forensic psychology fan. A more complete review will be up on MyShelf.com in the upcoming months.

A Kind of Mirraculas Paradise by Sandra Allen

 Started: 10/25/20

Finished: 10/30/20

Year: 2018

Pages: 275

Genre: biographical

Grade: C

Type: ARC Trade Paperback

Reason for reading: Goodsread.com giveaway

Blurb (from back cover): "Sandra Allen did not know her uncle Bob very well. As a child, she had been told he was 'crazy', that he had spent time in mental hospitals while growing up in Berkeley in the sixties and seventies. But Bob had lived a hermetic life in a remote part of California for longer than she had been alive, and what little she know of him came from rare family reunions or odd, infrequent phone calls. Then in 2009 Bob mailed her his autobiography. Typewritten in all caps, a stream of error-riddle sentences over sixty single-spaced pages, the often incomprehensive manuscript proclaimed to be a 'true story' about being 'labeled a psychotic paranoid schizophrenic' and arrived with a pleat to help Bob get his story out to the world.

"In A Kind of Mirracules Paradise, Allen translates her uncle's autobiography, artfully creating a gripping coming-of-age story while sticking faithfully to the facts as her shared them. Lacing Bob's narrative with chapters providing greater contextualization, Allen also shares background information about her family, the culturally explosive time and place of her uncle's formative years, and the vitally important questions surrounding schizophrenia and mental healthcare in America more broadly. The result is a heart-breaking and sometimes hilarious portrait of a young man striving for stability in his life as well as his mind, and an utterly unique lens into an experience that, to most people, remains unimaginable."

Opinion: So this was different. Not sure if I wanted more of his story in his own words or more of his story in her words. The mix of the two just didn't fully work for me. 

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

 Started: 6/21/20

Finished: DNF

Year: 2000 (this edition)

Pages: 817

Genre: Classic Literature

Grade: F

Type: paperback with jacket

Reason for reading: 1001 books to read before you die/booksfree.com

Blurb (from Amazon): "Described by William Faulkner as the best novel ever written and by Fyodor Dostoevsky as “flawless,” Anna Karenina tells of the doomed love affair between the sensuous and rebellious Anna and the dashing officer, Count Vronsky. Tragedy unfolds as Anna rejects her passionless marriage and thereby exposes herself to the hypocrisies of society. Set against a vast and richly textured canvas of nineteenth-century Russia, the novel's seven major characters create a dynamic imbalance, playing out the contrasts of city and country life and all the variations on love and family happiness."

Opinion: It didn't grab my interest and after 300 pages, I decided that I have hundreds of other books to grab my attention. So this will be sent back to booksfree.com 

Death by Dumpling by Vivien Chien

 Started: 10/14/20

Finished: 10/24/20

Year: 2018

Pages: 326

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Grade: B

Type: Mass Market Paperback

Reason for reading: TBR pile

Blurb (from back cover): "The last place Lana Lee thought she would ever end up is back at her family's restaurant. But after a brutal breakup and a dramatic workplace walk-out, she figures that a return to the Cleveland area to help wait tables is her best option for putting her life back together. Even if that means having to put up with her mother, who is dead-set on finding her a husband.

"Lana's love life soon becomes yesterday's news once the restaurant's property manager, Mr. Feng, turns up dead-after a delivery of shrimp dumplings from Ho-Lee. But how could this have happened when everyone on staff knew about Mr. Feng's severe, life-threatening shellfish allergy? Now, with the whole restaurant under suspicion for murder and the local media in a feeding frenzy-to say nothing of the gorgeous police detective who keeps turning up for take-out-it's up to Lana to find out who is behind Feng's killer order...before her own number is up."

Opinion: This is the first of the Noodle Shop Mystery series and a decent one at that. I do want to know more about this breakup with the one who will not be named and to see what Lana gets herself mixed up in next. The mystery plot was decent and the motive turns up to be something that isn't expected.

Killing Trail by Margaret Mizushima

 Started: 10/9/20

Finished: 10/13/20

Pages: 329

Year: 2015

Type: Mass Market paperback

Genre: Mystery

Grade: A

Reason for reading: grabbed off the TBR pile

Blurb (from back cover): "When a forest ranger hears gunshots an find blood on a cabin's porch, she calls in the first K-9 team in Timber Creek, Colorado. Deputy Mattie Cobb and her partner, police dog, Robo, follow the scent from the blood trail into the woods, where a Bernese mountain dog is guarding the body of a young girl.

"With the help of Cole Walker, local veterinarian and a single father, Mattie and Robo must track down the truth before a killer claims another victim. But as Mattie investigates, she realizes how many secrets her hometown holds. And the key may be Cole's daughter, who knows more than she's saying. Murder is just the beginning, and if Mattie isn't careful, she and Robo could be next."

Opinion: I've read the other books of this series and had not gotten to the first one. Even though you can get the gist of the characters, reading the series in order is helpful. Definitely enjoyed this one. Can't wait for the next one.

Christmas Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke

 Started 10/3/20

Finished: 10/8/20

Year: 2020

Pages: 356

Genre: Cozy mystery

Grade: C

Type: Hardcover

Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com

Blurb (from book jacket): "While Hannah speeds through a lengthy holiday checklist, drama in town grows like Santa's waistline on Christmas Eve. Her sister Andrea wants to stave off the blues by helping out at The Cookie Jar, Michele's love life is becoming complicated, Lisa needs Hannah's advice, and Delores has a Christmas secret she's not willing to share. But nothing dampens the holiday mood more than the chilling mystery surrounding the man found near death in an abandoned storefront two doors down from Hannah's bakery...

"The befuddled John Doe can't recall a thing about himself-except for his unusual knowledge of restoring antique furniture. With a smattering of clues and barely enough time to frost Christmas cookies, Hannah must solve a deadly puzzle that could leave her dashing through the snow for her life!"

Opinion: Not one of the greatest Fluke novels. I've read them off and on over the years. Some great looking recipes are throughout the book but the title is misleading and the mystery isn't completely solved. The ending was very rushed. A more complete review will be on MyShelf.com in the near future.

Meet Isabel Puddles by M. V. Byrne

 Started: 9/26/20

Finished: 10/2/20

Year: 2020

Pages: 330

Type: ARC Trade Paperback

Genre: cozy mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: review for Myshelf.com

Blurb (from back cover): "To the tourists and summer residents, Kentwater County is a picturesque community of small-town charm, fruitful farmland, and gorgeous freshwater beaches. To  middle-aged widow Isabel Puddles, it's where she enjoys breakfast every morning at a local cafe with her childhood best friend and spends her evening cozying up with a good book and her devoted Jack Terrier, Jackpot. In between, Isabel makes ends meet through a variety of trades-preserving pickles, baking pies, working the counter at her cousin's hardware shop, and occasionally helping 'fix-up' the hair of corpses at the local funeral parlor.

"When Isabel discovers a two-inch nail embedded in the skull of Earl Jonasson, it seens the octogenarian may not have died of a stroke. His son is quickly arrested when his alibi doesn't check out. But Isabel has known Earl, Jr since they were kids and can't believe he'd murder his father, regardless of his financial difficulties. As gossip about Earl, Sr's land, and insurance policy money starts to spread around the county, Isabel finds herself conducting her own investigation to clear her friend's name. But real detective work isn't like what she sees on TV, and she's meeting dangerous suspects who don't like Isabel poking around in their business...."

Opinion: You certainly meet Isabel Puddles in this book and at first I was wondering if it was too much detail. Because this is the first of a new series, it probably isn't too much and it will be interesting to see if the following books contain as much detail. For  more complete review, please visit Myshelf.com in the upcoming months.

Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings by Liz Ireland

 Started: 9/20/20

Finished: 9/25/20

Year: 2020

Pages: 289

Genre: Mystery

Grade:  B

Type: Trade Paperback

Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com

Blurb (from back cover): "Love is full of surprises-though few compare to realizing that you're marrying the real-life Santa. April Claus dearly loves her new husband, Nick, but adjusting to life in the North Pole is not all sugarplums and candy canes. Especially when a cantankerous elf named Giblet Hollyberry is killed-felled by a black widow spider in his stocking-shortly after publicly arguing with Nick.

"Christmastown is hardly a hotbed of crime, aside from mishaps caused by too much eggnog, but April disagrees with Constable Crinkle's verdict of accidental death. As April sets out to find the culprit, it'll mean putting the future of Christmas on the line-and hoping her own name isn't on a lethal naughty list..."

Opinion: Always wondered how Santa continued on for thousands of years. This was a decent cozy-lots of suspects, lots of murder, lots of characters. For a more complete review, please check out MyShelf.com in the upcoming months

A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer

 Started: 5/31/20

Finished: 9/13/20

Year: 2008

Pages: 618

Genre: Literature

Grade: B

Type: mass market paperback

Reason for reading: bookcrossing.com book, off TBR pile

Blurb (from back cover): "If Danny Cartwright had proposed to Beth Wilson on any other day he would not have been arrested and charged with the murder of his best friend. But when the prosecution witnesses happen to be a group of four upper-crust college friends-a barrister, a popular actor, an aristocrat and the youngest partner in an established firm's history-who is going to believe Danny's side of the story?

"Danny is sentenced to twenty-two years and sent to Belmarsh prison, the highest-security jail in the land, from where no inmate has ever escaped. But Spencer Craig, Lawrence Davenport, Gerald Payne, and Toby Mortimer all underestimate Danny's determination to seek revenge-and the extent to which his fiancee Beth will go in pursuit of justice."

Opinion: First book that I've read by Archer and it was pretty interesting. Wasn't sure how Danny's antics would get the revenge that he wanted but in the end it was nicely tied up. Might seek some other Archer books.

Hanging Falls by Margaret Mizushima

 Started: 8/30/20

Finished: 9/5/20

Year: 2020

Pages: 282

Genre: mystery

Grade: B+

Type: hardcover

Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com

Blurb (from book jacket): "A deluge has flooded the high ground near Hanging Falls-but heavy rains aren't the only menace descending on Timber Creek while on a counting mission to pinpoint trail damage, Officer Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner, Robo, stumble upon a body floating at the edge of a lake. Robo catches a human scent, which leads to an enigmatic forest-dweller who quickly becomes suspect number one.

"With help from veterinarian Cole Walker, Mattie identifies the victim and discovers an odd religious cult whose dress and manners harken back to the nineteenth century. As the list of suspects grows, an unexpected visit from members of Mattie's long-lost family sheds new light on her childhood as they help Mattie piece together details for the fateful night when she was abducted at age two.

"The tangled threads of the investigation and family dynamics begin to intertwine-but darkness threatens to claim a new victim before Mattie and Robo can track down the killers."

Opinion: Another enjoyable mystery from the Timber Creek K-9 mystery series. A more complete review will be posted on MyShelf.com in the upcoming months

It's Not All Downhill From Here by Terry McMillan

 Started: 5/28/20

Finished: 8/28/20

Year: 2020

Pages: 350

Genre: Literature

Grade: B

Reason for reading: Librarything.com giveaway

Blurb: "Loretha Curry's life is full. A little crowded sometimes, but full indeed. On the eve of her sixty-eighth birthday, she has a booming beauty-supply empire, a gaggle of lifelong friends, and a husband whose moves still surprise her. True, she's carrying a few more pounds than she should be, but Loretha is not one of those women who think her best days are behind her-and she's out to prove wrong her mother, her twin sister, and everyone else with that outdated view. It's not all downhill from here. But after an unexpected loss, Loretha must summon all her strength, resourcefulness, and determination to endure heartbreak, pursue joy, heal old wounds, and chart new paths. With help from her friends, of course."

Opinion: Another decent book by McMillan. Follows along the same themes as many of her other books-the emphasis of family and friends and overcoming life's obstacles. If you're a fan of her works, you should enjoy this one.

High Five by Janet Evanovich

 Started: 8/15/20

Finished: 8/21/20

Year: 1999

Pages: 317

Genre: Mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: rereading/catching up on the series booksfree.com book

Blurb (from back cover): In the fifth high-octane thriller, bounty hunter Stephanie Plum sets out to find her missing uncle-and along the way smacks slam-bang into: a dead body, a nasty bookie, her stun-gun-toting grandmother, two very sexy men, an angry little man who won't leave her apartment and a Mafia wedding...

"Jersey's favorite bounty hunter has never been better! With high hair, street smarts and plenty of attitude, Steph's sure to nail this case-or risk life and spandex-clad limb trying..."

Opinion: Another fun read. Probably so far the funniest one in the series so far. 

The Nicotine Chronicles Edited by Lee Child

 Started: 8/9/20

Finished 8/13/20

Year: 2020

Pages: 275

Genre: short stories/fiction

Grade: B

Reason for reading: LibraryThing.com giveaway/review

Blurb (from back cover): "In recent years, nicotine has become as verboten as many hard drugs. The literary styles in this volume are as varied as the moral quandaries herein, and the authors have successfully unleashed their incandescent imagination on the subject matter, fashioning an immensely addictive collection."

Opinion: Overall a decent collection of short stories by some well known authors like Lee Child, Joyce Carol Oates, Michael Imperioli to name a few. As with most collections of short stories by different authors, some you'll love, some you'll hate. I'm not a fan of nicotine but it was interesting to see how each other put cigarettes into their stories.

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

 Started: 8/2/20

Finished: 8/7/20

Year: 2000

Pages: 272

Genre: Essay

Grade: C

Reason for reading: bookcrossing.com book exchange/TBR pile

Blurb (from Amazon.com): "A recent transplant to Paris, humorist David Sedaris, bestselling author of "Naked", presents a collection of his strongest work yet, including the title story about his hilarious attempt to learn French"

Opinion: I'm probably one of the few that did not think that this was laugh out loud funny. Some amusing stories but none left a lasting impression on me. I'm glad that I read it but won't be seeking out any of his other books.

American Pastoral by Philip Roth

Started: 5/13/20

Finished: 8/1/20

Year: 1997

Pages: 423

Genre: Literature

Grade: C

Reason for reading: 1001 books to read before you die, TBR pile

Blurb (from back cover): "As the American century draws to an uneasy close, Philip Roth gives us a novel of unqualified greatness that is elegy for all our century's promises of prosperity, civic order, and domestic bliss. Roth's protagonist is Swede Levov, a legendary athlete at his Newark high school, who grows up in the booming postwar years to marry a former Miss New Jersey, inherit his father's glove factory, and move into a stone house in the idyllic hamlet of Old Rimrock. And then one day in 1968, Swede's beautiful American luck deserts him.

"For Swede's adored daughter, Merry, has grown from a loving, quick-witted girl into a sullen, fanatical teenager-a teenager capable of an outlandishly savage act of political terrorism. And overnight Swede is wrenched out of the long-for American pastoral and into the indigenous American berserk."

Opinion: My first reaction is eh. An average read. Couldn't get into it-and felt that Swede's reaction to his daughter was over the top in some aspects. 

The Best New True Crime Stories Small Towns Edited by Mitzi Szereto

Started: 7/19/20

Finished: 7/24/20

Year: 2020

Pages: 249

Genre: True Crime

Grade: B+

Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com

Blurb (from back cover): "We've been told that nothing bad happens in small towns. You can leave your doors unlocked and your windows wide open. We picture peaceful hamlets with a strong sense of community, where everyone knows each other. But what if this wholesome, idyllic image doesn't always square with reality? Small towns might look and feel safe, but statistics show this isn't really true.

"Featuring murder stories, criminal case studies, and more, The Best New True Crime Stories: Small Towns offers all-new accounts from today's finest writers of true crime, crime fiction, and beyond. What's more, these entries are not based on a true story-they are true stories. Edited by acclaimed author and anthologist Mitzi Szereto, the stories in this volume span the globe. Discover how murders, shooting sprees, violent robberies, and other bad things can and do happen in small towns all over the world."

Opinion: A decent collection of true crime stories that most are unaware of from all over the world. A more complete review will be posted on www.MyShelf.com in the near future.

The Food is My Friend Diet by Ruth Frechman MA, RD, CPT

Started: 7/12/20

Finished: 7/18/20

Years: 2012

Pages: 444

Genre: Diet/Health

Grade: B

Reason for reading: Goodsreads.com giveaway

Blurb (from back cover): "Ruth Frechman's clients have lost thousands of pounds! Does your circle of friends include anyone names Pizza, Pasta, Chips or Chocolate? People have their own special food friends to make themselves feel better. Ruth will show you how to keep your old food friends, make new ones, and melt the pounds away.

"Take a good look at this book. Day One reveals your own personal motivations that will inspire you to new actions and new attitudes. Let your desire to drop the pounds be your guide as you effortlessly lose weight, regain confidence, and have more fun.

"In 30 days...grab those skinny jeans from the back of your closet. Flirt your face off and falaunt your new figure. Go 24/7 with the energy of a teenager. Feel awesome about all that new attention you're getting.

"Ninety percent of Ruth Frechman's clients overate because of their emotions. Understand what drives YOU. With the help of this remarkable book, you will take one small step at a time for 30 days to eat less, exercise more, and re-channel your feelings. Achieving a 10% weight loss can make you look 5 years younger!"

Opinion: I have struggled with my weight since I was a teenager. Been a WW member off and on for years (currently on).  This book looks at a different topic for 30 days in a workshop journal. You can focus on a topic for as long as you need to. Definitely one of the better "diet" lifestyle change books that I've read.

Into the Fury by Kat Martin

Started: 7/5/20

Finished: 7/11/20

Year: 2016

Pages: 354

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Grade: B

Reason for reading: grabbed from TBR pile

Blurb (from back cover): "Sinners, whores, and sluts beware-your time is at hand: a faceless menace is threatening lingerie models on a cross country tour, and Ethan Brodie is there to defend and protect.

"Ethan's learned the hard way that beauty is no substitute for character. So even though Valentine Hart is one of the most breathtaking women he's ever seen, he's keeping his hands off and his eyes open. Or that's what he tells himself.

"Then one of the models is murdered, and the closer Ethan gets to the answers, the closer he finds himself to Valentine-and the hotter the pressure feels. There's more to Val-more to the other girls-than he could have guessed. Bit one is keeping a secret that could kill them all."

Opinion: This was a pretty decent romantic suspense novel. Decent murder mystery plot. The romance was intense.

Gerald's Game by Stephen King

Started: 6/28/20

Finished: 7/3/20

Year: 1992

Pages: 445

Genre: suspense

Grade: B+

Reason for reading: grabbed from TBR pile, bookcrossing.com book

Blurb (from Amazon.com): "'And now the voice which spoke belonged to no one but herself. Oh my God, it said. Oh my God, I am all alone out here. I am all alone.'

Once again, Jessie Burlingame has been talked into submitting to her husband Gerald’s kinky sex games—something that she’s frankly had enough of, and they never held much charm for her to begin with. So much for a “romantic getaway” at their secluded summer home. After Jessie is handcuffed to the bedposts—and Gerald crosses a line with his wife—the day ends with deadly consequences. Now Jessie is utterly trapped in an isolated lakeside house that has become her prison—and comes face-to-face with her deepest, darkest fears and memories. Her only company is that of the various voices filling her mind…as well as the shadows of nightfall that may conceal an imagined or very real threat right there with her…"

Opinion: I feel like I've read this one before. Certainly makes one wonder where King gets some of his ideas from. If you like King or just suspense books in general, pick it up

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Started: 3/15/20

Finished: 6/20/20

Year: 1997

Pages: 428

Genre: Literature

Grade: C

Reason for reading: TBR pile, 1001 books to read before you die

Blurb (from back cover): "A literary sensation and runaway bestseller, this brilliant debut novel presents with seamless authenticity and exquisite lyricism the true confessions of one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.

"In Memoirs of a Geisha, we enter a world where appearances are paramount, where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction-at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful-and completely unforgettable."

Opinion: I feel like I'm one of the few that did not thoroughly enjoy this novel. I don't even know why it would have made the 1001 books to read before you die list. Definitely not the worst book I've read but certainly not one of the best.

99 Red Balloons by Elisabeth Carpenter

Started: 6/7/20

Finished: 6/14/20

Year: 2017

Pages: 336

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway win

Blurb (from back cover): "Eight-year-old Grace is last seen in a candy store. Her mother Emma is living a nightmare. But as her loved ones rally around her, cracks begin to emerge.

"What are the emails sent between her husband and her sister? Why does her mother take so long to join the search? And is there more to the disappearance of her daughter than meets the eye?

"Meanwhile, ageing widow Maggie Taylor sees a familiar face in the newspaper. A face that jolts her from the pain of her existence into a spiralling obsession with another girl-the first girl who disappeared..."

Opinion: What starts off as a one time kidnapping turns into so much more. Some confusion on keeping everyone straight on who they are in relationship to each other but a fresh prospective on a kidnapping plot.

Just a Little Bit Married by Teresa Southwick

Started: 5/24/20

Finished: 5/27/20

Year: 2017

Pages: 218

Genre: Romance

Grade: B

Reason for reading: received through Bookcrossing.com, TBR pile

Blurb (from back cover): "The last time Rose Tucker saw her ex-husband, Lincoln Hart, he was fleeing their newly minted marriage. Now the man she fell in love with at first sight has returned to say those three little words: 'we're still married!' And while the lawyers fix the clerical glitch, the handsome millionaire offers a way to help his not-so-ex wife save her business.

"The pretty interior designer can hardly wait to say 'I don't.' But in the meantime, Rose can't afford to turn down her husband's job offer. So she agrees to decorate Linc's new luxury condo. While Rose draws up plans for his home, he has designs on her heart. And if he gets his way, the new towels will say His and Hers."

Opinion: Sometimes you just need fluff. I haven't read a Harlequin in a while. Highly predictable but still enjoyable. 

The Silence by Susan Allott

Started: 5/17/20

Finished: 5/22/20

Year: 2020

Pages: 287

Genre: Mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com

Blurb (from book jacket): "It is 1997, and in a basement flat in Hackeny, Isla Green is awakened by a call in the middle of the night: her father, Joe, phoning from Sydney. It seems that thirty years ago, the Greens' next-door neighbor Mandy disappeared. Joe claims he thought Mandy had moved away with her husband, but now Mandy's family is trying to reconnect, and there is no trace of her. Joe was allegedly the last person to see her alive, and now he's under suspicion of murder.

"So Isla returns to Australia for the first time in a decade to support her father and to search for the truth. Her arrival in Sydney brings up echoes from the past, taking us back to the heat of summer 1967, when two young couples lived side by side on a quiet street by the sea. The more questions Isla asks, the more she learns about the secrets each marriage bore. Could her father have some done something terrible? And how much does her mother know?

"At the center of it all lies a shameful practice rooted in Australia's colonial past: the forced removal of Aboriginal children from their families, children now known as the Stolen Generation."

Opinion: A decent story with a familiar plot. Even though it is predictable, the mystery plot being resolved is done in a respectable manner. A more complete review will be on Myself.com in the upcoming months.

Beyond Betrayal by Phil Waldrep

Started: 5/10/20

Finished: 5/12/20

Year: 2020

Pages: 210

Genre: self-help

Grade: D

Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway win

Blurb: how to forgive when betrayed

Opinion: This book was way too religious. Too many Bible quotes. I did like the personal examples of how the author and others that he knew worked through several steps to overcome the feelings of betrayal. It does ask for you to look within yourself to see why you feel so betrayed and how to overcome the feelings and eventually learn to forgive.

Four to Score by Janet Evanovich

Started: 5/3/20
Finished: 5/8/20
Year: 1998
Pages: 313
Genre: mystery
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: bookslender.com book, rereading the series
Blurb (from back cover): "Stephanie Plum, Trenton, New Jersey's favorite pistol-packing, condom-carrying bounty hunter, is back-and on the trail of a revenge-seeking waitress who's skipped bail. With the help of 73-year-old Grandma Mazur, ex-hooker Lula, a transvestite musician named Sally Sweet, and the all-too-hospitable, all-too-sexy Joe Morelli, Stephanie might just catch her woman. Then again, with more mishaps than there are exits on the Jersey Turnpike-including murders, firebombs, and Stephanie's arch-rival bounty hunter chasing after the same fugitive-Stephanie better watch her back big-time if she wants to live to crack this case."
Opinion: This one is a rather funny book. The antics of Stephanie and her "help" make this book more of a comedy than an actual mystery but there definitely is one to be solved.

Dead to Her by Sarah Pinborough

Started: 2/23/20
Finished: 5/2/20
Year: 2020
Pages: 388
Genre: Thriller
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from book jacket): "Marcie's whirlwind affair with Jason Maddox catapulted her into the most elite circles. Old money, old ties, old secrets. Marcie may have married into this world-but she'll never truly be a part of it.
"Then Jason's boss brings home a captivating new wife from his trip to London. Young, attractive, reckless-nobody can take their eyes off Keisha. Including Marcie's husband.
"Some people would kill for the life Marcie has-what will she do to keep it?"
Opinion: The book jacket is misleading. It was slow to start but picked up. Not the best thriller that I've read. A more complete review will be available on MyShelf.com in the upcoming months.

Perfect Little Children by Sophie Hannah

Started: 2/16/20
Finished: 4/27/20
Year: 2020
Pages: 328
Genre: mystery
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from book jacket): "All Beth has to do is drive her son to his football game, watch him play, and then return home. Just because she knows her ex-best friend lives near the field doesn't mean she has to drive past her house and try to catch a glimpse of her.
"Why would Beth do that and risk dredging up painful memories? She hasn't seen Flora for twelve years. She doesn't want to see her today-or ever again. But she can't resist. She parks outside the open gates of Newnham House and watches from across the road as Flora arrives and calls to her children, Thomas and Emily, to get out of the car.
"Except...there's something terribly wrong. Flora looks the same, only older. Twelve years ago, Thomas and Emily were five and three. Today, they look precisely as they did then. They are no taller, no different from when Beth last saw them. They are Thomas and Emily without a doubt-Beth heard Flora call them by their names-but why haven't they grown? How is it possible that they are still the same two perfect little children Beth knew more than a decade ago?"
Opinion: Strange....just strange and the ending is more strange. A complete review will be posted on MyShelf.com in the upcoming months.

Daughter of Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

Started: 2/9/20
Finished: 4/25/20
Year: 2019
Pages: 308
Genre: Literature
Grade: B
Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway
Blurb (from back cover): "Separated from her mother at birth, Ruth is adopted by Japanese immigrants and grows up on a strawberry farm in California. During World War II she and her family suffer through the injustice of internment. Only later is she reunited with Rachel, the mother she never knew. Brennert powerfully evokes a lesser-known homefront war story as well as offering a richly emotional tale of two women who never expected to meet, much less come to love one another."
Opinion: Not as good as the first one but still a powerful story. Anyone who enjoyed Moloka'i will enjoy this story and see how Ruth turned out.

Not Dead Yet by Phil Collins

Started: 2/2/20
Finished: 4/20/20
Year: 2016
Pages: 368
Genre: Memoir/autobiographical
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: grabbed off TBR pile
Blurb (from back cover): "Phil Collins pulls no punches-about himself, his life, or the ecstasy and heartbreak that's inspired his music. In his celebrated memoir, Not Dead Yet, he tells the candid, witty, unvarnished story of the songs and shows, the hits and pans, his marriages and divorces, the ascents to the top of the charts and into the tabloid headlines.
"A drummer since almost before he could walk, Collins received on-the-job training in the seedy, thrilling bars and clubs of 1960s swinging London before finally landing the drum seat in Genesis. Soon he would step into the spotlight on vocals after the departure of Peter Gabriel and begin to stockpile the songs that would rocket him to international fame with the release of Face Value and 'In the Air Tonight.' Whether he's recalling jamming with Eric Clapton and Robert Plant, pulling together a big band fronted by Tony Bennett, or writing the music for Disney's animated smash hit Tarzan, Collins' storytelling chops never waver. And, of course, he answers the pressing question on everyone's mind: just what does 'Sussedio' mean?"
Opinion: I have been a huge Phil Collins fan-seeing him in concert solo several times and seeing him perform with Genesis. I had heard some of the tabloid stories about his personal life and rumors about his professional life. I'm glad that I finally read it from the horse's mouth about what happened with Genesis, his marriages and some of the inspiration of some of my favorite songs.  Highly recommend if you enjoy Phil.

Last Stop Auschwitz by Eddy de Wind

Started: 4/12/20
Finished: 4/17/20
Year: 2020
Pages: 227
Genre: History
Grade: B
Reason for reading: goodreads.com giveaway win
Blurb (from book jacket): "In 1943, the height of German occupation of the Netherlands, Eddy de Wind volunteered to work at Westerbork, a transit camp for Jews where his mother had been taken by Nazis, in the ultimately fruitless hope of saving her. while there, he fell in love with and married a young nurse named Friedel. But not long after, they were transported to Auschwitz and separated-Eddy to work as a medical assistant in one barrack, Friedel at the mercy of Nazi experimentation in a nearby block. Sneaking moments with his beloved and communicating whenever they could, Eddy longed for the day he could be free with her..."
Opinion: A sad but decent read. First English translation edition. An interesting inside look at the medical side of the concentration camp.

Invisible Darkness by Stephen Williams

Started: 1/26/20
Finished: 4/11/20
Year: 1996
Pages: 532
Genre: True Crime
Grade: C
Reason for reading: booksfree.com book
Blurb (from back cover): "They were married in a picture-perfect wedding in Niagara-on-the-Lake and they rode off in a horse-drawn carriage. Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo were the very image of love and success. But they had blood-including the blood of Karla's own younger sister-on their hands.
"This is the definitive inside account of a serial murder case unparalleled in history. It is a story of a man and a woman joining together in torture and mutilation crimes that are virtually unspeakable. It is a story of sexual depravities videotaped by Bernardo and Homolka themselves-tapes so shocking that a trial judge ordered them destroyed, although they are rumored to have surfaced in New York and Tokyo. It is a story of authorities taking six years and twenty-three victims to stop the killings-even after Paul Bernardo's sister and best friend had both tried to turn him in.
"Investigative journalist Stephen Williams takes you inside this shocking case-into the motivation of a couple wed in blood, into the details of their crimes and motivations, to perhaps the worst outrage of all: the sweetheart deal that allowed Karla Homolka to escape punishment for her deeds."
Opinion: This isn't a bad true crime novel if you can get past the gore and porn in the first half of the book. The trial aspects are interesting and makes one question the legal system of how one person can really get away with murder.

Home for Erring and Outcast Girls by Julie Kibler

Started: 8/1/20
Finished: 4/4/20
Year: 2019
Pages: 383
Genre: Historical Fiction
Grade: B
Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway
Blurb (from back cover): "In turn-of-the-century Texas, The Berachah Home for the Redemption and Protection of Erring Girls is an unprecedented beacon of hope for young women consigned to the dangerous poverty of the streets by birth, circumstance, or personal tragedy. Built in 1903 on the dusty outskirts of Arlington, a remote dot between Dallas and Fort Worth's red-light districts, the progressive home bucks public opinion by offering faith, training and rehabilitation to prostitutes, addicts, unwed mothers, and 'ruined' girls without forcibly separating mothers from children. When Lizzie Bates and Mattie McBride meet there-one sick and abused but desperately clinging to her young daughter, the other jilted by the beau who fathered her ailing son-they form a friendship that will see them through unbearable loss, heartbreak, difficult choices, and, ultimately, diverting paths.
"A century later, Cate Sutton, a reclusive university librarian, uncovers the hidden histories of the two troubled women as she stumbles upon the cemetery on the home's former grounds and begins to comb through its archives in her library. Pulled by an indescribable connection, what Cate discovers about their stories leads her to confront her own heartbreaking past, and to reclaim the life she thought she'd let go forever."
Opinion: A decent read about a real-life place with characters based on real people. Makes me want to visit the cemetery and grounds of the home. One feels for Lizzie and Mattie and what they faced in their lives.

The Christmas Boutique by Jennifer Chiaverini

Started: 12/30/19
Finished: 3/31/20
Year: 2019
Pages: 289
Genre: Literature
Grade: C-
Reason for reading: Librarything.com winner/review
Blurb (from back cover): "Just weeks before Christmas, sever wintry weather damages the church hall hosting the Christmas Boutique-an annual sale of handcrafted gives and baked goods that supports the county food pantry. Determined to save the fundraiser, Sylvia Bergstrom Compson offers to hold the event at Elm Creek Manor, her ancestral family estate and summertime home to Elm Creek Quilt Camp.
"In the spirit of the season, Sylvia and the Elm Creek Quilters begin setting up market boots in the ballroom and decking the halls with beautiful handmade holiday quilts. Each of the quilters chooses a favorite quilt to display, a special creation evoking memories of holidays past and dreams of Christmases yet to come. Sarah, a first-time mother expecting twins, worries if she can handle raising two babies, especially with her husband so often away on business. Cheerful, white-haired Agnes reflects upon a beautiful applique quilt she made as a young bride and the mysterious, long-lost antique quilt that inspired it. Empty nesters and occasional rivals Gwen and Diane contemplate family heirlooms and unfinished projects as they look forward to having their children home again for the holidays.
"But whole the Elm Creek Quilters work tirelessly to make sure the Christmas Boutique happens, it may take a holiday miracle or two to make it the smashing success that they want it to be."
Opinion: This book didn't seem put together very well. This is the first book in the series that I've read so I do not know if all of the books follow the same format. I did not feel lost about the characters as there was a lot of background provided throughout the novel....almost too much. This is one of the few books that is solely based on characterization....plot is minimal.

Hearts of the Missing by Carol Potenza

Started: 3/22/20
Finished: 3/28/20
Year: 2018
Pages: 291
Genre: Mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway win
Blurb (from book jacket): "When a young woman linked to a list of missing Fire-Sky tribal members commits suicide, Pueblo police sergeant Nicky Matthews is assigned to the case. Soon, Nicky uncovers a threat that strikes at the very heart of what it means to be a Fire-Sky Native: victims chosen and murdered because of their genetic makeup.
"But these deaths are not just about a life taken. In a vengeful twist, the killer ensures the spirits of those targeted will wander forever, lost to their family, their People, and their ancestors. When those closest to Nicky are put in jeopardy, she must be willing to sacrifice everything-her career, her life, even her soul-to save the people she is sworn to protect."
Opinion: I haven't read a lot of books where Native Americans are the main characters (not sure why, just haven't). Add on the possibility of a serial killer and this is a decent debut mystery novel. This novel won the Tony Hillerman Prize and I can see why.

Three To Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich

Started: 3/8/20
Finished: 3/14/20
Year: 1997
Pages: 350
Genre: Mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: Booksfree.com
Blurb (from back cover): "A 'saintly' old candy store owner is on the lam-and bounty hunter extraordinaire Stephanie Plum is on the case. As the body count rises, Stephanie finds herself dealing with dead drug dealers and slippery fugitives on the chase of her life. And with the help of eccentric friends and family, Steph must see to it that this case doesn't end up being her last..."
Opinion: I'm continuing with the series. This one had laugh out loud scenes. The mystery plot was decent and enjoyable.

On the Corner of Hope and Main by Beverly Jenkins

Started: 3/1/2020
Finished: 3/6/2020
Year: 2020
Pages: 285
Genre: Literature
Grade: C
Reason for reading: review for LibraryThing.com
Blurb (from back cover): "Trent July has been the mayor of this historic town for the past four years, but now he's ready to let someone else take up the mantle. Barrett Payne, a former Marine, decides he wants the job. But when a surprise candidate also enters the ring, the town has strong opinions on who would be the best choice.
"And that's not the only drama, as Malachi "Mal" July continues to make reparations for the damage he's caused and the people he's betrayed, especially his lady love, Bernandine. Is she finally ready to forgive him and let the past go?
"As the residents of Henry Adams have learned, life will throw obstacles their way-but it's how they come together and rise above these challenges that keeps the bonds of their close-knit community strong."
Opinion: This started off in a good pace, but scattered. Lots of subplots going on. The last 3rd seemed rush to try to close out all the subplots and leave enough for the next book in the series.

Christmas Sweets by Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine, Leslie Meier

Started: 11/9/19
Finished: 1/24/20
Year: 2019 (compilation)
Pages: 310
Genre: mystery
Grade: C
Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway
Blurb (from back cover): "The Twelve Desserts of Christmas by Joanne Fluke: It's the perfect mix of naughty and nice when two lovestruck boarding school teachers watch six kids over Christmas break. but when someone wants the cozy couple's romance to burn out faster than a scorched fruitcake, it's Hannah Swensen to the rescue, armed with her sleuthing skills-and twelve deliciously festive recipes...
"Nightmare on Elf Street by Laura Levine: Aside from the mortifying costume, how bad can a gig as a mall Santa's elf be? Jaine Austen finds out when she's teamed up with the Santa from Hell. But things go from bad to worse when he's found murdered on the job-and Jaine is a suspect. Now all she wants for Christmas is to find the real killer...
"The Christmas Thief by Leslie Meier: Elizabeth Stone is ready for a white Christmas in Tinker's Cover, Maine-until a fancy Yule ball at the Florida hotel where she works dumps snow on her plans. The sponsor's jewels have gone missing and the police are asking about her ties to a cute mystery guest. Good thing Elizabeth's mother, Lucy Stone, flew down to surprise her. 'Tis the season for a little investigating...."
Opinion: Fluke's story was cute and not very mysterious. The reader is aware of what is going on the whole time. It's more about the Christmas season and the love between the teachers. Levine's story was amusing and mysterious-who really killed the Santa from Hell? Readers aren't aware until it is given away. I couldn't even finish Meier's story. The relationship between Elizabeth and the mystery guest was obnoxious, unrealistic and all I did was shake my head and stop reading.

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

Started: 7/23/19
Finished: 1/17/20
Year: 2019
Pages: 368
Genre: Mystery
Grade: C
Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway
Blurb (from book jacket): "These are the only rules for Jules Larsen's new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most glamorous and secretive buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plan broke, Jules is captivated by the splendor of her surrounding and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.
"As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly reminds her of her sister who vanished eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and that the dark history hidden beneath its flaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story...until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.
"Searching for the truth about Ingrid's disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's sordid past and the mysteries kept within its walls. What she discovers pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building's hidden secrets and escape a dream apartment that has quickly turned into a nightmare."
Opinion: An interesting premise-apartment sitter in one of Manhattan's magnificent apartment buildings. The rules are slightly strange but nothing that can't be followed. But then it just takes a very odd turn. A turn that I felt was ridiculous and turned the book into what could have been a B or an A book into a C.

Layover by David Bell

Started: 7/26/19
Finished: 1/14/20
Year: 2019
Pages: 399
Genre: Mystery
Grade: C
Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway book
Blurb (from back cover): "Joshua Fields takes the same flights every week for work, his life a series of departures and arrivals, hotels and airports. During yet another layover, he meets Morgan, a beautiful stranger with whom he feels an immediate connection. When it's time for their respective flights, Morgan kisses Joshua passionately, lamenting that they'll never see each other again.
"As soon as Morgan disappears in the crowd, Joshua is shocked to see her face on a nearby TV. The reason: Morgan is a missing person.
"What follows is a whirlwind, fast-paced journey filled with lies, deceit, and secrets as Joshua tries to discover why Morgan has vanished from her own life. Every time he thinks one mystery is solved, another rears its head-and his worst enemy might be his assumptions about those around him."
Opinion: This plot went to far out there and wasn't enjoyable. Sure....people in airports wonder about what others are doing, where they're going, etc but for it to go this far....ugh

Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich

Started: 10/20/19
Finished: 1/7/20
Year: 1996
Pages: 325
Genre: Mystery
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: reread, booksfree.com
Blurb (from back cover): "Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is still learning the ropes at her cousin Vinnie's bail bond office, so when she sets out on the trail of Kenny Mancuso-a suspiciously wealthy, working class Trenton boy who has just shot his best friend-the stakes are higher than ever. that Mancuso is distantly related to vice cop Joe Morelli-who is trying to beat Stephanie to the punch-only makes the hunt more thrilling...
"Taking points from her bounty hunter pal, Ranger, and using her pistol-packing Grandma Mazur as a decoy, Stephanie is soon closing in on her mark, But Morelli and his libido are worthy foes. And a more sinister kind enemy has made his first move...and his next move might be Stephanie's last."
Opinion: I have always enjoyed these and luckily it has been long enough between reads that I don't quite remember the full story. I'm rereading them to catch up on the series.

Where Serpents Lie by T. Jefferson Parker

Started: 5/13/19
Finished: 12/29/19
Year: 1998
Pages: 557
Genre: suspense
Grade: B
Reason for reading: TBR pile
Blurb (from back cover): "Terry Naughton has come up against his share of heinous criminals in his years on the force-but nothing has prepared him for the Horridus, the brilliant madman who is terrorizing the children of Orange County.
"As he races to stop the Horridus before his crimes escalate, Naughton learns the that the Horridus many not be the only enemy. When shocking accusations put his career on the line, he is forced to confront his own dark and violent past in his search for the truth. Who is behind the setup? And even if he can clear his name, can he do the same for his conscience?
Opinion: Even though it took me several months to read this, it was an enjoyable suspenseful book with 2 plot lines that are intertwined. I've always enjoyed T. Jefferson Parker's books and this one does not disappoint.

Clobbered to Death by Rosemarie Ross

Started: 11/30/19
Finished: 12/29/19
Year: 2019
Genre: mystery
Grade: B
Pages: 312
Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway book
Blurb (from back cover): "Courtney Archer is known for hosting the show Cooking with the Farmer's Daughter...despite the fact that she's actually a pediatrician's daughter. Now she's signed on for a role on The American Baking Battle. On this reality show, she can start developing a more authentic image for herself-and as a bonus, the usual backstabbing and manufactured drama isn't part of the Baking Battle script. But genuine drama is heating up behind the scenes...
"During a film shoot in the scenic Pocono Mountains, Courtney has to juggle career commitments like pots on a six-burner stove. Adding to the stress is Mick, a contestant who finds out about her fake farm-girl story. Determined to succeed at her new gig, she whips up a cherry cobbler in a cast-iron fry pan one evening and leaves it out to cool, But the next morning, it's Mick's body that's cooling-right next to Courtney's pan, now classified as a murder weapon."
Opinion: If you're a fan of the The Great American or British Baking Show then you will probably get a kick of this murderous take on them. Definitely a lot of suspects with different motives to want Mick dead. For the first in a new cozy mysteries series, I'm looking forward to future ones.

Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge by Jim Schutze

Started: 10/5/19
Finished: 12/8/19
Year: 1997
Pages: 304
Genre: True Crime
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: booksfree.com book
Blurb (from back cover): "Bobby Kent was a bully-a steroid-pumped 20-year-old who dominated his peers in their comfortable, middle-class Ft. Lauderdale beach community through psychological, physical and sexual abuse. But on a summer night in 1993, Bobby was lured to the edge of the Florida everglades with a promise of sex and drugs...and was never seen alive again. The tormentor had become the victim in a bizarre and brutal act of vengeance carried out with ruthless efficiency and cold-blooded premeditation by seven of his high school acquaintances-including his lifelong best friend-and instigated by one overweight, underloved teenager who believed her life would be perfect...if only Bobby Kent were dead."
Opinion: This was one of the strangest murder stories that I've read. Hard to believe that with as many people that were told that a small group of people wanted Bobby Kent dead that this even happened. I'm not at all surprised about how quickly the suspects were arrested.  Bullying is definitely frowned up and in a way he did deserve what happened due to the severity of the bullying but murdering him and thinking that they could get away with it is ridiculous.

The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins

Started: 8/3/19
Finished: 11/28/19
Year: 2019
Pages: 344
Genre: Literature
Grade: B
Reason for reading: Goodreads book giveaway
Blurb (from back cover): "Sarah Dove is no ordinary bookworm. To her, books have always been more than just objects: they live, they breathe, and sometimes they even speak. When Sarah grows up to become the librarian in her quaint southern town of Dove Pond, North Carolina, her gift helps place every book in the hands of the perfect reader. Recently, however, the books have been whispering about something out of the ordinary: the arrival of a displaced city girl name Grace Wheeler.
"If the books are right, Grace could be the savior that Dove Pond desperately needs. The problem is, Grace wants little to do with the town or its quirky residents-Sarah chief among them. It takes a bit of urging, and the help of an especially wise book, but Grace ultimately embraces the challenge to rescue her charmed new community. In her quest, she discovers the tantalizing promise of new love, the deep strength that comes from having a true friend, and the power of finding just the right book."
Opinion: This was a sweet book about a small Southern town and its newest resident. Friendship and family are the focus and addressed in a charming way. Will be checking out more Dove Pond books.

Our Dogs, Ourselves by Alexandra Horowitz

Started: 9/22/19
Finished: did not finish
Year: 2019
Pages: 266
Genre: animal
Grade: F
Reason for reading: won from GoodReads.com
Blurb (from back cover): "We keep dogs and are kept by them. We love dogs and (we assume) are loved by them. We buy them sweaters, toys, shoes; we are concerned with their social lives, their food, and their health. The story of humans and dogs is thousands of years old but is far from understood. In Our Dogs, Ourselves, Alexandra Horowitz explores all aspects of this unique and complete interspecies pairing.
"As Horowitz considers the current culture of dogdom, she reveals the odd, surprising, and contradictory ways we live with dogs. We celebrate their individuality but breed them for sameness Despite our deep emotional relationships with dogs, legally they are property to be bought, sold, abandoned, or euthanized as we wish. Even the way we speak to our dogs is at once perplexing and delightful.
"In thirteen thoughtful and charming chapters, Our Dogs, Ourselves affirms our profound affection for this most charismatic of animals-and opens our eyes to the companions at our sides as never before."
Opinion: This just wasn't what I was wanting/expecting this to be. Definitely no fault of the author and I'm sure that several fellow dog lovers/owners would get something out of this book.

My Life on the Line by Ryan O'Callaghan and Cyd Zeigler

Started: 8/7/19
Finished: 10/19/19
Year: 2019
Pages: 233
Genre: Sports/Memoir/LGBTQ
Grade: B
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from back cover): Ryan O'Callaghan's plan was always to play football and then, when his career was over, kill himself. Growing in a red-state corner of California, the not-so-subtle messages he heard as a young man from his family and from TV and film routinely equated being gay with disease and death. Letting people in on the darkest secret he kept buried inside was not an option: better death with a secret than life as a gay man. As a young man, Ryan never envisioned just how far his football career would take him. He was recruited by the University of California, Berkeley, where he spent five seasons, playing alongside his friend Aaron Rodgers. Then it was on to the NFL for stings with the almost-undefeated New England Patriots and the often-defeated Kansas City Chiefs.
"Bubbling under the surface of Ryan's entire NFL career was a collision course between his secret sexuality and his hidden drug use. When the NFL caught him smoking pot, he turned to NFL-sanctioned prescription pain kills that quickly sent his life into a tailspin. As injuries mounted and his daily intake of opioids reached a near-lethal level, he wrote his suicide note to his parents and plotted his death. Yet someone had been watching. A member of the Chiefs organization stepped in, recognizing the signs of drug addiction. Ryan reluctantly sought psychological help. and it was there that he revealed his lifelong secret for the very first time: he's gay. Now in his late twenties, Ryan faced a fork in the road of his life: end it, or find out if his family and football friends could ever accept a gay man in their lives."
Opinion: As I was reading this, I just felt bad for Ryan who believed that people were not going to support him just because of his sexuality. I'm just glad that he got to realize that people will support him no matter what. A more complete review will be posted on MyShelf.com in the upcoming months.

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center

Started: 7/22/19
Finished: 10/8/19
Year: 2019
Pages: 310
Genre: Literature/Romance
Grade: B
Reason for reading: Book of the Month read
Blurb (from book jacket): "Cassie Hanwell was born to handle emergencies. As one of the only female firefighters in her Texas firehouse, she's seen her fair share of them, and she's a total pro at managing other people's tragedies. But when her estranged and ailing mother asks her to give up her whole life and move to Boston, Cassie suddenly has an emergency of her own.
"The tough, old-school Boston firehouse is as different from Cassie's old job as it could possibly be. Hazing, a lack of funding, and poor facilities mean that the firemen aren't exactly thrilled to have a 'lady' on the crew-even one as competent and smart as Cassie. Except for the infatuation-inspiring rookie, who doesn't seem to mind having Cassie around. But she can't think about that. Because love is girly, and it's not her thing. Ad don't forget the advice her old captain gave her: Never date firefighters. Cassie can feel her resolve slipping...ant it means risking it all-the only job she's ever loved, and the hero she's worked like hell to become."
Opinion: What starts off as a woman fighting to make it in a man led job becomes so much more. It becomes more about forgiveness mixed with love.  Despite the time that I started this, this was an easy and enjoyable book and could be a quick read.

You Throw Like a Girl by Don McPherson

Started: 8/10/19
Finished: 10/1/19
Year: 2019
Pages: 231
Genre: Sports/Gender Studies
Grade: C
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from book jacket): "In You Throw Like a Girl, former Syracuse University quarterback and NFL veteran Don McPherson examines how the narrow definition of masculinity adversely impacts women and creates many 'blind spots' that hinder the healthy development of men. Dissecting the strict set of beliefs and behaviors that underpin our understanding of masculinity, he contends that we don't raise boys to be men, we raise them not to be women.
"Using examples from his own life, including his storied football career, McPherson passionately argues that viewing violence against women as a 'women's issue' not just ignores men's culpability but conflates the toxicity of men's violence with being male. In You Throw Like a Girl, McPherson leads us beyond the bling spots and toward solutions, analyzing how we can engage men in a sustained dialogue, with a new set of terms that are aspirational and more accuretely representative of the emotional wholeness of men."
Opinion: I remember McPherson when he was QB for SU. With him playing football, an aggressive "manly" game, he has a unique look at masculinity. Overall, this book handles a subject that is important to today's society and could be useful in the right hands. A more complete review will be posted on MyShelf.com in the future.